This essay compares Ken Kesey and Harriot Jacobs' use of fear and control in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.

Fear and Control of the Unknown Throughout history many communities have been persecuted for being different from the general public. Society has often forced these unique individuals to assimilate or be constrained because of the public's fear and anxiety of the unknown. Such insecurities led to the mistreatment and restraint of both the slaves as portrayed in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and the mental patients in One Flew over the Cuckoo's …

…to action using an array of striking images and issues that were incredibly controversial in their time. Subjects like control, sexuality and violence forced the reality of the characters' situations into the minds and hearts of readers. The characters skillfully created by Kesey and Jacobs were credible and thus their trepidation was contagious. The authors rebelled against the mistreatment of the underprivileged minority and stressed the valuable lessons we can learn from these unique individuals.